MUGA Scan Test

Yesterday, June 15th, 2012, Candy and I went in to Petoskey to get my MUGA (Multi Gated Acquisition Scan) Test, which takes pictures of my heart for about 20 minutes (10 minutes each, from two different angles). It’s to make sure my ticker’s up to the task of putting through enough blood flow while I’m doing the chemo stuff.

As tests go, it’s pretty simple, yet interesting. First, they installed an IV and drew some blood. Then I go relax for about a half hour while they mix the blood with a radioactive marker, then inject it back into me. Then I just have to lay still for about 20 minutes while the machine hovers over me taking images of the radioactive blood flow. Nothing to it – hardest part is staying awake.

Like the ground squirrel in the photo above that I shot yesterday afternoon when we returned home, I’m still eating all the time, bulking up for next Tuesday’s chemo, per the doc’s orders.